Seattle Center Winterfest | Can’t Miss Holiday Fun

From late November to the end of December, Seattle Center transforms into a winter wonderland. With beautiful Christmas lights, ice skating, a toy train, special performances, and much more, Seattle Center Winterfest provides FREE and affordable, can’t miss holiday fun in the Emerald City!

The Space Needle from Seattle Center during Winterfest

There’s no greater beacon of the Christmas spirit in Seattle than the Space Needle. With Christmas lights glowing 605-feet above the Emerald City, and a creative, circular (for lack of a better description) Christmas tree out front, the Space Needle is a perfect centerpiece to Seattle Center Winterfest. On top of the lights on the Space Needle, there are also Christmas lights on many of the trees around Seattle Center. It’s a perfect place for a holiday stroll.

Ice skating at Fisher Pavilion for Seattle Center Winterfest

What are the holidays without some ice skating? They’re not the holidays at all! Take care of your ice skating itch at Seattle Center Winterfest. Fisher Pavilion transforms into a fun ice rink for all ages. This is the only part of Seattle Center Winterfest that isn’t free. Admission, which includes skate rentals, is $8 for adults, $6 for children 6-12, and $2 for kids 5-and-under. Click here for rink hours.

A middle school band performs at Winterfest

If that’s not enough ice for you, there’s also ice sculpting every Saturday at Seattle Center Winterfest. You can watch “internationally acclaimed, award-winning artists” as they create seasonal sculptures. It happens outside Fisher Pavilion from 12pm-2pm. On top of that, there are numerous free performances by choirs, bands, jump rope teams, break dancers and much more. Click here for a full list of entertainment and events.

Winter Train & Village at Seattle Center Winterfest

If you thought Fisher Pavilion was the place to be at Seattle Center Winterfest, don’t miss the Seattle Center Armory. It gets all dressed up for the holiday season, with lights, a huge Christmas tree, and the ever popular Winter Train & Village. This miniature “turn-of-the-century village” features homes and buildings, snowy streets and a moving model train. The best part is — you can take your turn controlling the model train everyday at 10:30am-12pm, 1pm-2:30pm, and 3:30pm-5:30pm. It’s a free activity, but there’s a suggested $2 donation.

A Christmas tree in the Seattle Center Armory

Seattle Center Winterfest is a “can’t miss” during the holiday season, especially if you have kids. You don’t have to spend more than five seconds in the Armory to see a child’s face light up with wonder as they stare at the Winter Train & Village, or ten seconds at Fisher Pavilion to hear their laughs echo inside the ice rink. With different performances and events every day, Seattle Center Winterfest is the gift that keeps on giving throughout the holiday season.

Have you ever checked out Seattle Center Winterfest? What’s your favorite part? We’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below or connect with us on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. Don’t forget to also stop by Seattle Bloggers for more fun activities during the holiday season!